Machine for sorting bristles



Oct. 30, 1928. 7 1,689,679

K. MAUZ MACHINE FOR SORTING BRISTLES, HAIRS, FIBERS, AND THE LIKE ACCORDING TO DESIRED LENGTHS Filed Feb. 12, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 30, 1928.

K. MAUZ MACHINE FOR SORTING BRISTLES, HAIRS, FIBERS, AND THE LIKE ACCORDING TO DESIRED LENGTHS Filed Feb 12, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jm enfor' ffar/ Mauz.

Oct. 30, 192& 1,689, 679

K. MAUZ MACHINE FOR SORTING BRISTLES, HAIRS, FIBERS, AND THE LIKE ACCORDING TO DESIRED LENGTHS Filed Feb. 12, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 A far/rays Oct. 30, 1928. 1,689,679

K. MAUZ MACHINE FOR SOR'IING BRISTLES, HAIRS, FIBERS, AND THE LIKE ACCORDING TO DESIRED LENGTHS Filed Feb- 12, 1925 4 sheOts sheet 4 Karl Nag/z Afforneya Patented Oct; 30, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,689,679 PATENT OFFICE.

KARL MAUZ, OF WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY.

MACKmE FOB SORTING BRISTLES, HAIRS, FIBERS, AND THE LIKE ACCORDING TO DESIRED LENGTHS.

Application filed February 12, 1925, Serial No. 8,693, and in Germany May 21, 1924.

The present invention relates to a machine which is designed to sort according to desired lengths, bristles, hairs, fibers and like filamentssuch as are used in the manufacture of l brushes.

Machines are already known, which perform these operations, but their output is very greatly limited inasmuch as these machines have always to be stopped when fresh ma.-

10 terial is put on. Putting the material to be sorted on to the machine takes as a rule more time than the sorting operation itself, and consequently these machines are actually operating only a part of the time available and 15 a reduced output is the consequence.

The chief object of the present invention is to overcome this disadvantage. By means of a. suitable feedin device the well known holding devices sue as pinned or brushed 20 plates, endlem pinned chains and the like filled with material are moved intermittently past the sorting means, for example, grippers or pairs of rollers at a suitable angle thereto and in the same plane and the sorting 25 of the material is carried out along the whole length in such a way that the filaments of the longest length are sorted or pulled out at the point where the material is first presented to the sortin means, the next shorter length a after a suite 1e interval and so on until the shortest length is reached at the point where the holding devices leave the sorting means, the materials sorted being delivered in strips of equal width and deposited on a conveyor 85 belt for removal. The problem of continuously supplying the machines employed for this pu so with fresh material whilst in motion an of enabling the sorted material including that which remains in the holding de- 40 vice to be continuously removed, is therefore solved.

Auconstructional example of the machine is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of the machine.

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof partially in section. v

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the feeding and pulling mechanism on a larger scale.

Figure 4 is :1 Ianview of the machine.

Figure 5 is a etail view showing the closed gripper bars filled with material.

6 is an end view of the driving mechanism.

Figure 7 is a side view of the same.

Figure 8 is an enlarged side elevation of one of the holding devices.

Figure 9 is a plan view of the same.

Figure 10 is an end view of the same.

Figure 11 is a plan view of the grip r bars and the operating mechanism there or.

'Figure 12 is a section taken on the line XIIXII of Figure 11, and

Figure 13 is a perspective view of the structure shown in Fig. 12.

A driving shaft 11 is mounted in side standards 12 and 13. This shaft carries a fast and loose pulley 14 and drives by means of'spur wheels 15 and 16 a shaft 17 which is also carried in the standards 12 and 13 and has a crank 18 at each end. These cranks 18 are connected by pivot bolts 19 and rods 20 to levers 22 pivotally mounted on the shaft 21, the levers 22 having a rocking motion imparted thereto by means of the cranks 18 and rods 20 when the driving shaft 11 is rotated.

The shaft 21 is driven through a wheel 23 by the aid of achain 24 and wheel 25 and from a wheel 26 through a chain 27 and a wheel 28 a rotary movement is imparted to a shaft 29 carried in the levers 22. Double armed gripper levers 30 and 3,1 are mounted on a cross bar 32, and are pivotally connected by rods 33 to the shaft 29. Double-armed tongs levers 30 and 31 are pivotally mounted on the rod 32 which is supported by rods 33 fixed to the shaft 29, and carry rollers 35 attached thereto by bolts 34.- Rollers 35 cooperate with cams 36 fixed to opposite faces of a disc 36 to close the gripper bars 37 and 38 attached to the opposite ends of levers 30 and 31. a

The gripper bars are opened b coiled springs 39 which may be applied on y to the central pair of tongs levers or to each pair. The bar 37 has in it a groove in which a stri of rubber 40 of suitable dimensions an notched at suitable intervals (see Figures 12 and 13) is inserted and held in position by means of a cover plate 41.

In order to completely separate the material withdrawn from the holding device and also to deposit it cleanly on a conveyor belt 42, the sorting means, which consists of the gripper bars and the means provided for operating them, is provided with rollers 43 mounted at each end of the cross bar 32 so as to cooperate with cam races 44.. As the sortin means is moved rearwardly by means of rods 20, it is therefore moved downwardly, so 110 as to reduce the height of the fall of the material. The ends 45 of the material gripped in the gripper bars 37 and 38 (see Figure 5) are positively guided during the backward and forward movements of'the sorting means by wedge shaped interchangeable deflector plates 46. At the end of the descending movement .of the sorting means the cams 36 release the levers 30 and 31 and in consequence of the coiled 5 rings 39 which are employed the grip er ars 37 and 38 open simultaneously an the material falls in the form of strips on to the conveyor belt 42: This conveyor belt is carried by a roller 48 running loosely in bearings 47 and a similar roller 51 adjustable by means of screws 49 and running in bearings 50 (see Figure 4) and upon this latter roller 51 is mounted a ratchet wheel 52 and a ratchet lever 53 with a pawl 54. The conveyor belt 42 has a. suitable feeding movement imparted to it by an adjustable crank 55, which is'mounted on the shaft '21 through the medium of a rod 56 which connects the crank to the ratchet lever 53.

The feeding of the holding devices 58 and 59 which carry the materials to be sorted and which are guided in a channel 57 in the table is produced by a cam 60 mounted on the shaft 21 with the assistance of levers 63 and 64 mounted ona shaft 62 supported in a bear ing bracket 61. In the lever 63 is mounted 'a bolt 65, which carries a roller 66. while on the lever 64 there is mounted a bolt with a spherical projection 67. J

An endless chain 71 passed through the channel 57 in the table and running over the wheels 69 and 70 mounted at each side of a table 68 receives an intermittent feeding motion through the wheel 73, carried on a shaft 72 by means on the same shaft 72 consisting of a ratchet wheel 74 with its ratchet lever 75 and pawl 76. The ratchet lever 75 is provided "with a bolt having a spherical projection 77 which is adjustable in a slot in the lever and this latter is connected by a. connecting rod 78 to the bolt mounted on the lever 64 and also provided with a spherical head. The purpose of the slot provided in the ratchet lever 75 is to suitably alter the amount of travel of the lever.

The table 68 together with the feeding and advancing devices carried thereon is adapted to rotate about a pin 79 (see Figure 4) provided on the side standard 13 and can be so fixed by means of studs in slots 80 and 81 to the side standards 12 and 13-that the chan nel 57 in the table can be set either parallel or at a suitable angular position relatively to the sorting device.

The well known holding devices 58 and 59 provided for the material to be sorted consists of two parts and the filling and emptying thereof is also carried out in the well known way at the point 82 or 83 on the table 68. These holding devices when filled with material, are placed on the endless chain 71 guided in the channel 57 in the table, a pin 84 (see Figure 8) engaging in this chain and producing the advance of the holding device in the direction indicated by the arrow.

When the shaft 11 is driven by a belt running on the fast pulley 14 the shafts 17, 21 and 29 are caused to rotate simultaneously. The cranks 18 produce with the aid of the rods 20 the rocking motion of the levers 22 and consequently the forward and backward movement of the entire sorting means.

All the cams 36 mounted on the shaft 29 are so timed or set that the gripper bars 37 and 38 close in the forward position only (see Figure 3), while they open at a particular point in the backward and downward,

movement. The step b step feeding motion of the chain 71 in the irection indicated b the'arrow is produced by the cam 60 throng the medium of the parts 61 to 78.

The machine works as follows:-

The holding devices 58 and 59 (see Figure 7 8) are filled in the known manner by means of straightedges 82 and 83 with material to be sorted and which is alwa s of different lengths. The ends 45 of the aments abut against one of the longitudinal sides of the straightedge and lie in a common plane, while the uneven ends project on the other longitudinal side. The desired len h of the residue, which must be always left bind in the holding device 58, 59 after the sorting operation is over can be adjusted in the well known way when filling with material;

The filled holding devices 58 and 59 are then placed at the point 83 on the chain 71 guided in the channel 57 and the pin 84 produces the intermittent-motion forwards m the direction indicated.

When the bristles come within the range of the gripper bars 37 and 38 the longest materials projecting therefrom will be seized by the clamping action, withdrawn from the shorter material and carried with it on-the rearward and downward movement. The

'ends 45 of the material see Figure 3) are eflector plates 46 guided laterally by the p and at the end of the descending movement of the gripper barsthe cams 36 cause the gripperbars 37 and 38 to o n and the material drops by its own weig t on to the con-v veyor belt.

Immediately afterwards the chain 71 with the holding devices 58 and 59 mounted there on is moved forwards. This operation is ter minated as soon as the gripper bars 37 and 38 which have again moved forwards and opened in the meantime, start to take a fresh supply of material.

In consequence of the material being ded obliquely stuff of the same length clamping surfaces .of the gripper bars 37 and always be withdrawn at all fixed points on the a 'less chain and moved forward b 38 and individual sets of bristles are pulled out by the rubber strips 40 in such manner that the bristle lengths of the different sets vary by a predetermined amount. The bristles of individual sets may for example be shorter by 4-inch and the bristle lengths in each individual set differ in themselves by about 4-inch which is usual in actual practice.

During the advance of the chain 71 a similar forward movement of the conveyor belt 42 is roduced by means of the parts 51 to 56. l hen a holding device 58 and 59 has been suitably advanced into the guide channel 57 additional filled holding devices are continuously added. The holding devices 58 and 59 which as out on the opposite side at 82 are emptied in the well known way of the remaining material and filled with fresh material.

As soon as the stri of material deposited on the .conveyor be t 42 have reached the roller 51, the various lengths are taken o'lf separately.

If it be desired for example to have three different lengths from the material to be sorted or pulled difierin by 5 mm. from each other, the oblique i ing of the material to be sorted must e so adjusted that the difference of the distance right and left of the gripper bars 37 and 38 from the material is equal to three times five or fifteen mm. and if twelve different lengths differing by 5 mm. from each other are required, then the difference of the distance right and left of the gripper bars 37 and 38 from the material must be equal to twelve times five or-sixty mm. The result is that the number of the lengths desired requires the same number of divisions in the clamping surface and a corresponding oblique setting of the guide.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. A machine for sorting bristles, hairs, fibers and like filaments into desired lengths, comprisin a machine frame, mechanism act ing on sai frame and comprising relatively movable tongs for gri ping and withdrawing the filaments, a ta le havin a channel therein adjacent the said mechanism, an endless chain in the channel, a plurality of material-holding devices mounted on said endthe latter, and a conveying band arrange under the said mechanism, moved substantiall at ri ht angles to the movement of the sai holdlng devices, and serving to receive the withdrawn material.

2. A machine for sorting bristles, hair, fibers and like filaments into desired lengths, comprising a machine frame, gripper levers supported in a swingin osition on the frame, gripper bars carrie by said levers and adapted to pull the material gripped thereby, cams and springs controlling the opening and closing of the gripqfr bars, a channe adjacent the ripping mec anism, an endless chain in the ciannel, holding devices for the material, table parts projecting beyond the machine frame for use in filling and emptying the said holdin devices, pins for effecting engagement of t e holdin devices with the chain, and a conveying and arranged beneath the grippin mechanism and moved intermittently su tantially at right angles to the movement of the holding devices.

3. A machine for sorting bristles, hairs, fibers and like filaments into desired lengths, comprising a machine frame, swinging levers supported in the lower part of the frame, a cross rod carried at the upper swinging ends of said levers, gripper levers carried b said rod, gripper ars on the gripper evers, rollers on the cross rod, ide tracks on the machine for engaging said rollers and guiding the gripper levers and bars to deposit the pulled material on a lower plane, cam and spring mechanism for opening and closing the gripper bars, a table, a. channel in the table adjacent the gripping mechanism, an endless chain in the channel, individual holding devices engaged by the said chain and carrying the material, end parts on the table projecting beyond the machine frame for use in fillingand empt ing the holdin devices, and means for adjusting the sai table in an angular direction u on the machine frame to control the direction of travel of the chain and the holding devices.

4. A machine for sorting bristles, hairs fibers and like filaments into desired lengths, comprising a machine frame, swinging levers supported in the lower part of the frame, a cross rod carried at the upper swinging ends of said levers, gripper levers carried b said rod, gripper ars on the gripper evers, means for swin ing the swinging levers back and forth, gui e tracks on the machine for guiding the cross rod and gripper parts to deposit the'pulled material on a lower lane, cam and spring means for openin an closing the gripper bars, a series of ru ber strips mounted in the said with intervening spaces between their ends to grip the material in separated ser 1 ions or groups, a table on the machine adjacent the grippin mechanism, an endless eh "1 carried by t e table, individual holding devices for the material, means for securing such devices to the chain, and a conveyor be: arranged beneath the gripping mechanism for receiving the pulled materla 5. A machine for sort-ing filaments into different lengths, con;iprisingmeans for releasably holding the unsorted filaments, means for intumittently advancing said holding means and filaments along a predetermined path, relatively movable grip er bars mounted adjacent said path for gripping and withdrawing said filaments, and

moving conveyor means positioned to receive Elie filaments withdrawn by said gripper ars.

6. A machine for sorting filaments into different le comp means for releasably holding the unsorted filamen means for intermittently advancing sai holding means and filaments alo a predeu termined path, relatively movab e gripper bars mounted adjacent said path for progressively grip ing and withdrawin the lon filaments 111 said holding %neans, gripper bars at an acute angle to said path, an moving conveyor means adapted to receive and keep'separate the filaments withdrawn b the successive operations of said gripper ars.

KARL MAUZ. 

